A Brockton man is the first person in New England to undergo what could be a groundbreaking knee surgery, offered at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

A Brockton man is the first person in New England to undergo what could be a groundbreaking knee surgery, offered at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 8:35 AM EST Dec 1, 2015

Hide TranscriptShow Transcript

WEBVTT DURING SWIFT'S CONCERT IN SYDNEY THE PAIR MET AND SHE GAVE HER TICKETS. PRIME SEATING AT THE SHOW. Heather: THAT'S A LOVELY STORY. A BROCKTON MAN IS THE FIRST TO UNDERGO A GROUND BREAKING KNEE SURGERY. THERE ARE FEW TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR THE THOUSANDS OF YOUNGER PEOPLE WHO SUFFER A TORN MENISCUS. EMILY SHOWS US THERE ARE WOMEN WHO CAN HELP CHANGE THAT. Reporter: BASKETBALL HAS BEEN A CENTRAL PART OF ROB PRICE'S LIFE. I PLAYED MY WHOLE LIFE. I WOULD PLAY PICK UP IN THE DRIVEWAY AND PLAY WITH MY UNCLES. Reporter: HE PLAYED THROUGH SCHOOL AND NEVER STOPPED UNTIL ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO. ONE DAY AT PRACTICE, NO WARNING, NO NOTHING. Reporter: DOCTORS HAD TO REPLACE HIS ACL. ROB ALSO TORE HIS MENISCUS AND IT HAD TO BE REMOVED. IT DIDN'T STOP THE PAIN. WITHOUT THE MENISCUS IT WAS BONE ON BONE. Reporter: HE IS BEING TREATED BY AN ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON. EVERY TIME THEY STEP IT IS A HARD NOT CUSHIONED BLOW. Reporter: HE DESCRIBES THE MENISCUS AS A SHOCK ABSORBER. EACH KNEE HAS TWO. YOU CAN SEE A BLACK RYE ANGLE RIGHT THERE. Reporter: THIS IS ROB'S. YOU WOULD WANT TO SEE A BLACK TRIANGLE HERE. Reporter: THE MENISCUS WEARS DOWN AS WE AGE. IN THE YOUNGER PEOPLE THEY ARE OFTEN INJURED, BUT THE KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY IS NOT TYPICALLY AN OPTION. IT IS SOMETHING WE PREVIOUSLY HAD NO TREATMENT FOR. Reporter: BUT THAT MAY BE CHANGING WITH THIS. THE NEW SURFACE MENISCUS IMPLANT IS UNDERGOING THE TRIAL AND HE IS THE FIRST DOCTOR TO TRY IT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO CUT BONE AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO PERMANENTLY ALTER THE ANATOMY OF THE KNEE JOIN. Reporter: THE I'M PLANT SIMPLY POPS IN BETWEEN THE TWO BONES IN THE KNEE. NO SUTURES, NO SCREWS, A FAST RECOVERY ABOUT TWO OR THREE MONTHS. YOU DON'T NEED CRUTCHES VERY LONG, JUST A FEW WEEKS. I WOULD LIKE TO RUN, PLAY BASKETBALL. Reporter: HE IS THE FIRST PATIENT HERE TO GET THE IMPLANT. HE CAN'T WAIT TO BE PAIN FREE AND HE KNOWS HIS EXPERIENCE WILL ALSO HELP OTHER PATIENTS. ROB HAD THE SURGERY A WEEK AGO AND SAYS HE IS DOING WELL. THE IMPLANT IS ALREADY IN USE

Groundbreaking knee surgery eases pain with fast recovery

A Brockton man is the first person in New England to undergo what could be a groundbreaking knee surgery, offered at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.